New Zealand's Top Ranked Formula Student Electric Race Car

University of Canterbury Motorsport

New Zealand's Top Ranked Formula Student Electric Race Car

About UCM

University of Canterbury Motorsport (UCM) is a student-run team based in Christchurch, New Zealand. Every year we design, engineer and build a formula-style electric race car entirely from scratch, competing in the Australasian Formula SAE competition against universities from across the region and the world.

We are the reigning Australasian Formula SAE champions and currently ranked 9th in the world among electric Formula Student teams globally.

The Team

UCM currently has over 60 active members spanning multiple disciplines including mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, software, aerodynamics, composites, vehicle dynamics, business and marketing. Our Final Year Project team designs and builds the car, while our broader membership supports operations, sponsorship, logistics, events and communications.

Every member who joins UCM graduates not only with a university degree but with real world experience working inside a fully functional, world ranked engineering organisation. Our alumni are already working at the highest levels of the global engineering industry, including in Formula 1.

The 2026 Car

UCM26 is our most ambitious build to date. This season we are developing a brand new four-wheel drive electric platform, a significant technical leap from previous seasons. Every system on the car has been designed, engineered and manufactured in house by our student team, including the full electrical architecture.

Electrical Systems and PCB Design

The electrical architecture of UCM26 is one of the most technically complex aspects of the build. Our electrical team designs and manufactures custom PCBs for a range of critical vehicle systems including:

• Motor control and inverter interface
• Battery management system (BMS)
• Data acquisition and sensor integration
• Telemetry and wireless communication
• Vehicle dynamics control
• Driver interface and safety systems

Each board is designed specifically to meet the performance, weight and reliability demands of a competitive Formula Student vehicle. Our PCBs must operate reliably under demanding conditions including high vibration, electrical noise from high power motor systems, and the time pressure of competition day.

PCB design and manufacturing is a recurring and significant part of our annual build process. Support from PCBWay would directly reduce one of our core build costs and allow our electrical team to iterate faster, prototype more freely and ultimately build more reliable systems.

The 2026 Season

In 2026 we are competing on two international fronts for the first time in UCM history. The Formula SAE Australasia competition in Adelaide, Australia in December, and the Formula Student China competition in October, taking on over 100 teams from across the globe.

Why PCBWay Support Matters

As a student team operating on a limited budget, access to high quality PCB manufacturing at low or no cost directly impacts the reliability and performance of our car. PCBWay support would allow us to:

Prototype and iterate electrical designs faster

Manufacture more reliable boards with tighter tolerances

Give more students hands on experience with professional PCB manufacturing

Focus budget on other critical build areas

Visibility and Recognition

In return for PCBWay's support, we will feature the PCBWay logo on our race vehicle, team apparel, website, social media channels and at events throughout the 2026 season across New Zealand, Australia and China.

Find out more at www.ucmotorsport.com | @ucmotorsport